Heel-safety holder for ski bindings



Nov. 7, 1967 T. c. SMOLKA ET AL 3,351,354

HEEL-SAFETY HOLDER FOR SKI BINDINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1965 1967 T. c. SMOLKA ET AL, 3,351,354

HEELSAFETY HOLDER FOR SKI BINDlNGS Filed April 20, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fwmewam (Z ha:

Nov. 7, 1967 T. c. SMOLKA ET AL 3,351,354

HEEL-SAFETY HOLDER FOR SKI BINDINGS Filed April 20, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Nov. 7 1967 T. C. SMOLKA ET AL.

HEEL-SAFETY HOLDER FOR sm smnmss Filed April 20, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HH HJH FIG. 5

U UUKJUUU United States Patent 3,351,354 MEL-SAFETY HOLDER FOR SKI BWDINGS Thomas C. Smolka and Gottfried Schweizer, Vienna, Austria, assignors to Wiener Metallwarenfabrik Smollra dz $0., Schwechat, Austria, a corporation of Austria Filed Apr. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 449,488 Claims priority, application Austria, Apr. 23, 1964, A 3,613/64 7 Claims. (Cl. 280-1135) The present invention relates to a heel-safety holder for ski bindings, and more particularly to ski bindings Which comply with modern practical requirements.

In order to bring about this result, it is required that the safety holder is adjust-able as much as possible quickly and simply for the most various operational conditions, as for instance for rent-skis. It is thereby further required that an adjustment to the most different ski-boot sizes and shapes can be performed easily. It is finally required that the set operational conditions of the safety holder are readily recognizable.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a heel safety holder for ski bindings which avoids the deficiencies of previous structures and provides a single setting means for adaptation to different sizes of skiers boots and an indicator means for recognizing the setting.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a heel safety holder for ski bindings which includes independently operable coarse and fine regulating means for holding the skiers boot with respect to the ground plate fastened to the ski.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heel safety holder for ski bindings which includes a single actuating member for longitudinal positioning and for adjusting the holder releasing pressure which is easily operated by the skier and does not require the manipulation of several separate members.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a heel safety holder for ski bindings, comprising a housing, upper member means pivotally connected to the housing about a first pivot point, lower member means pivotally connected to the housing about a second pivot point, one of the member means including a detent portion, a detent means movably connected to the housing for frictionally engaging the detent portion when the upper member means is in a downward heel clamping position, the lower member means for operatively cooperating with the upper member means when the lower member means is pressed downwardly to hold the upper member means in the downward heel clamping position, and lever means pivotally connected to the housing about a third point and movably connected to the detent means for moving the detent means.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a heel safety holder for ski bindings with means for cleaning the heel of the skiers boot before engaging the same in the ski binding.

According to one of the major features of the present invention, selectively and independently operable means are provided for adapting or adjusting the heel safety holder to various sizes of boots, with fine and additional coarse adjustment, as well as for indicating the actual setting of the adjustment. Preferably, the indication is in at least three distinct steps, for weak, medium and strong overload applied to the skiers boot.

Yet another feature of the present invention relates to the provision of a threaded member rotatably by one hand of the skier, said member providing a longitudinal displacement of the safety holder with respect to the ski. In a preferred embodiment, the two ends of the threaded member carry threads disposed in opposite 3,351,354 Patented Nov. 7, i967 directions so as to provide a two-fold and increased movement upon rotation by hand.

It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a locking nut selectively engageable with a threaded member, so as to render immovable the safety holder, once it has been set to a particular position of adjustment.

Still another feature of the present invention embodies a pair of safety detent members pivotable about first and second pivot points, respectively, operative to hold the safety holder structure in its normal position; these members, by way of appropriate compression springs, will allow release of the skiers boot should excessive force be encountered. Provisions are also made for manually releasing one of the detent-s, e.g., by applying pressure with the ski pole to a lever pivotable about a third pivot point especially provided for this purpose.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES 1-3 are schematic elevations of the heel safety holder for ski bindings according to the present invention, FIGURE 1 representing the normal or operative position of the heel safety holder, FIG. 2, the released position of the heel safety holder upon occurrence of external forces, and FIG. 3, the releasing position by the skier himself;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of the structural elements of the heel-safety holder along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the heel-safety holder; and

FIG. 6 is an end view of the heel-safety holder.

Referring now to the drawings, the heel-safety holder comprises a base plate 27 attached to the ski (not shown) by conventional means (FIGS. 4 and 5). The base plate has an upright limb 4 at its end remote from the ski boot. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the ski is also provided with a front or toe binding or abutment (not shown), the boot being clamped between the latter and the heel safety holder 3 forming the subject matter of the present invention.

The safety holder 3 has a frame 2t), the frontal portion of which has an upper member .means constituting a heel holder 9 attached thereto by conventional fastening means, e.g., as for instance by a threaded bolt 10 (FIG. 4). The holder 9 is pivotally linked to a first pivot or fulcrum point 17 by means of a link or lever 36, also constituting part of the upper member means, as clearly shown in FIGURES 1 through 3, which fulcrum point 17 is mounted in the frame 20. In a similar manner, a second pivot or fulcrum point 18, likewise mounted in the frame 20, has a lower member means constituting another link or lever 37 pivotally connected thereto, and the lower member means also constitutes a spur member 16 linked to the end of the latter. While the angular relation between the holder 9 and the lever 36 is variable, the spur 16 is in a fixed angular relation with respect to the lever 37.

A third pivot or fulcrum point 19 allows angular movement of a lever 25 to which is rigidly connected a link 23. The latter has fixed thereto a catch member 7 which has a complementary member 8 attached to or forming part of the aforementioned spur 16. Members 7 and 8 together form a safety detent catch device having opposite surfaces 22 adapted for mating frictional engagement, as shown in FIG. 1, with member 8 constituting a detent portion of heel holder 9.

A relatively strong spring 5 is interposed between the catch member 7 and a coupling member 33 to be discussed below in greater detail. Another spring 6, some- 3 what weaker than spring 5, is provided between the rear surface 24 of the link 23 (FIGS. 1-3) and a cover plate 34. The structure for loading the springs 5 and 6, as well as the heel holder 9 proper, will be described below.

FIG. 1 discloses the heel safety holder 3 in its operative, heel engaging position. The heel holder 9 and the spur 16 together define a mouth opening having, in this position, a useful distance of a. The heel of the ski boot (not shown) is held between heel holder 9 and the spur 16. The levers 36, 37 and 25 are, respectively, pivotable about the fixed points 17, 18 and 19; the latter points are mounted in the frame 20.

If an external overload or excessive force is encountered in the direction of the arrow 21 (FIG. 1), the oblique engaging surface 22 of the member 8 will be allowed to displace the member 7 in an upward and rearward direction until the supporting structure of the heel holder 9 and the spur 16 is swung upwardly into the position shown in FIG. 2.

The rearward movement of the member 7, against the action of the spring 5, is performed by a pivoting action about the fulcrum 19. As a result, the system comprising the members 9 and 16 performs an angular movement about the fulcrum points 17 and 18, by means of the links or levers 36 and 37, respectively. The mouth opening between the heel holder 9 and the spur 16 is now increased to a value indicated as a+. Once the action of the compression springs 5 and 6 has been overcome, the heel of the ski boot will be released. This safety releasing action occurs, for example, if the skier falls substantially forwardly. It should be noted that in case of such a safety release, it is the stronger upper spring 5 which is mainly acted upon, while the lower spring 6 has only a secondary function.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative, voluntary releasing action achieved when the skier applies pressure, for example with the ski pole, against the lever 25 in the direction of arrow P. The movement of the elements 23, 24 and 25 about the pivot 19 will compress the spring 6, so as to withdraw the member 7 from the member 8. When these members 7 and 8 are disengaged from each other, the ski boot can be removed from the mouth opening between the elements 9 and 16.

The elements schematically shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 are all displaceable in lengthwise direction, as indicated by a double arrow 26. This is necessary for adapting the heel safety holder 3 to various sizes of ski boots and/ or to provide various clamping pressures to said boot. The underlying principle is that it is more difficult to release the boot from the ski binding, if the pressure applied by the heel safety holder toward the toe unit is large. Conversely, safety or voluntary releasing will be easier, if said pressure is relatively low. If the inventive structure, as shown in FIGS. 15, is displaced toward the left-hand side, it will take a higher force to release the ski binding, than if the system is moved to the right-hand side. This is the result of the kinematic conditions resulting from the relative positions of the fixed points 17, 18 19 with respect to each other, the arrangement and lengths of the levers 36, 37, 25, the inclination and lengths of the engaging surfaces 22 on the members 7 and 8, and, finally, the respective strengths of the springs 5 and 6.

A single actuating member in a form of an actuating wheel 2 is provided, which is displaceable by rotation on a threaded bolt 1. The outer end 28 of the bolt 1 has a right-handed thread, while its inner end 29 carries a left-handed thread. The former passes through an appropriately threaded bore of upright limb 4, while the latter end is in meshing engagement with an inwardly turned threaded sleeve portion of the cover plate 34. Before actuating the wheel 2, a locking nut 30 threadedly engaging the outer end 28 of the bolt 1 should be loosened; once the proper adjustment has been made, the nut 30 can be tightened again against the limb 4. To prevent the locking nut 30 from being inadvertently lost, the end 28 of the bolt 1 has an upset portion 31.

Rotation of bolt 1 results in an adjustment of the system which corresponds to the sum total of the thread leads at both ends. A small angular rotation of the actuating wheel 2 will, therefore, provide an efiicient adjustment of the safety holder system. The adjusting structure takes but very little space and is not subject to disturbances owing to cold weather or snow. 7

For an added, easy adaptation of the safety holder 3 to various sizes of ski boots, the heel holder 9 can be swivelled about its fastening member 10, with respect to the frame 20, by a total of approximately This can be done upon loosening the member 10 (see FIG. 6), allowing thereby the holder 9 to be moved between two extreme displaced positions (not shown). An additional fine adjustment is provided, in a known manner, by a relative movement along a serration 32, again upon having loosened the fastening member 10.

As viewed lengthwise of the base plate 27, a serrated foot plate 35 is attached in front of the spur 16. Before the skier allows the elements 9 and 16 to engage the rear portion of his boot, he can strip off any snow that might heve got stuck to the heel of the ski boot. This will make for the safe fitting of the ski boots heel in the safety holder 3. The distance between the forward edge of the spur 16 and the upward edge portions of the foot plate 35 is made sufiiciently wide to accommodate the heel, even of the largest ski boots.

If the skier mounts his ski, inserting his boot between the front toe unit or clamp and the present heel safety hold er 3, the frame 20 with the mouth opening formed by elements 9 and 16 will be displaced rearwardly, that is, toward the right-hand side, as viewed in the drawings. The springs 5 and 6 are substantially uniformly compressed. There are, however, elements which do not take part in the rearward movement, such as the coupling member 33 and the cover plate 34. The lower, rearwardly pointing end portion of the former fits into an appropriate aperture of the cover plate 34, while the upper, more forwardly end of said member 33 engages a recess of an indicator plate 12. The latter likewise does not take part in the rearward displacement when the skier mounts his ski. This is brought about because the threaded sleeve of the plate 34 is immobilized, together with the aforementioned other members 33 and 12, by the threaded inner end 29 of bolt 1.

A cover plate 11, substantially parallel with the plate 12, is held in a stationary manner on the safety holder 3 by any conventional means (not shown). As shown in FIG. 5, this plate has cut-outs or openings 13, 14 and 15, through which appropriate portions of the indicator plate 12 can be visualized. It is also shown in broken lines that the top surface of the plate 12 is provided with a color marking 12a which may be, e.g., in glaring red or some other conspicuous color. Preferabily, the outlines of the color marking, as well as the openings 1315 are arranged in stepwise fashion, as illustrated. It will be understood that the forward edge of the indicator plate 12 may be cut out in stepwise fashion, the entire frontal portion of the plate being provided with the glaring paint.

The indicator mechanism constituted by the plates 11 and 12, movable relative to each other, is the subject matter of the copending patent application Ser. No. 390,339, filed Aug. 18, 1964, by G. Schweitzer et al., and entitled, Device for Setting and Indicating the Relative Positions of Ski-Binding Parts.

In a similar fashion, the structure described herein allows selective indication of weak, medium and strong adjustments. Since the strength of the releasing action is inversely proportional to the distance between the toe and heel units, it will be understood that FIG. 5 illustrates the weakest setting in which only the opening 13 shows the color marking 12a therethrough. In case of a medium setting, both openings 13 and 14 will display the colored surface; finally, when all three openings 13, 14 and 15 appear in red, the strongest setting prevails.

Springs 5 and 6, member 7, bolt 1, wheel 2, and cooperating housing portions, and indicator mechanism 11 and 12 comprise a spring bias means. The spring bias means with member 7, and the link 23 and surface 24 constitute a movable detent means, with member 7 being the active part thereof engaging the detent portion 8 of the upper heel holder 9.

While we have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

We claim:

1. A heel-safety holder for ski binding, comprising jaw means forvertically clam-ping a heel portion of a ski boot therebetween,

adjustable means for vertically positioning said jaw means with respect to said ski,

means for releasing the engagement of said heel portion with said jaw means,

adjusting means for selectively presetting an infinite plurality of overload values applied by said jaw means against said heel portion,

a housing,

said jaw means including upper member means pivotally connected to said housing about a first pivot point and lower member means pivotally connected to said housing about a second pivot point,

detent means com-prising two superposed detent members operatively connected to said housing and in engagement when said upper member means is in a downward heel clamping position,

said lower member means operatively cooperating with said upper member means upon pressing downwardly said lower member means in order to hold said upper member means in said downward heel clamping position, and

the upper of said detent members pivoted about a third pivot point disposed at a level lower than said first pivot point and lower than the level of the engaging faces of said detent members, said third point connected to said housing, and lever means formed integrally with said upper detent member and mounted on said third pivot.

2. The heel-safety holder for ski bindings, as set fourth in claim 1, wherein said detent means includes an adjustable spring bias means including a spring for selectively presetting a force counteracting involuntary releasing of said engagement.

3. The heel-safety holder for ski bindings, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring bias means includes,

a bolt means for longitudinal movement when turned,

said spring being of the axial type and disposed longitudinally about said bolt for being compressed and expanded when said bolt is longitudinally moved,

a wheel coaxially secured to said bolt for selectively turning said bolt thereby causing said bolt to move longitudinally, and

indicator means for indicating the relative force applied by said spring.

4. A heel-safety holder for ski bindings, comprising jaw means for vertically clamping a heel portion of a ski boot therebetween,

adjustable means for vertically positioning said jaw means with respect to said ski,

means for releasing the engagement of said heel portion with said jaw means,

adjusting means for selectively presetting an infinite plurality of overload values applied by said jaw means against said heel portion,

a housing,

said lower member means in order to hold said lower member means pivotally connected to said housing about at least one first pivot point,

detent means comprising two superposed detent members operatively connected to said housing and in engagement when said upper member means is in a downward heel clamping position,

said lower member means operatively cooperating with said upper member means upon pressing downwardly said lower member means in order to hold said upper member means in said downward heel clamping position, and

the upper of said detent members pivoted about a second pivot point disposed at a level lower than said first pivot point and lower than the level of the engaging faces of said detent members, said second pivot point connected to said housing, and lever means formed integrally with said upper detent member and mounted on said second pivot.

5. A heel-safety holder for ski bindings, comprising jaw means for vertically clamping a heel portion at a ski boot therebetween,

adjustable means for vertically positioning said jaw means with respect to said ski,

means for releasing the engagement of said heel portion with said jaw means,

adjusting means for selectively presetting an infinite plurality of overload values applied by said jaw means against said heel portion,

a housing,

said jaw means including upper member means pivotally connected to said housing about a first pivot point and lower member means pivotally connected to said housing about a second pivot point,

detent means comprising two superposed detent members operatively connected to said housing and in engagement when said upper member means is in a downward heel clamping position.

said lower member means operatively cooperating with said upper member means upon pressing downwardly said lower member means in order to hold said upper member means in said downward heel clamping position, and

the upper of said detent members pivoted about at least a third pivot point disposed at a level lower than said first pivot point and lower than the level of the engaging faces of said detent members, said at least third pivot point connected to said housing, and lever means formed integrally with said upper detent member and mounted on. said third pivot.

6. A heel-safety holder for ski bindings, comprising jaw means for vertically clamping a heel portion of a ski boot therebetween,

adjustable means for vertically means with respect to said ski,

means for releasing the engagement of said heel portion with said jaw means,

adjusting means for selectively presetting an infinite plurality of overload values applied by said jaw means against said heel portion,

a housing,

said jaw means including upper member means and lower member means pivotally connected to said housing about at least one first pivot point,

detent means comprising two superposed detent members operatively connected to said housing and in engagement when said upper member means is in a downward heel clamping position,

said lower member means operatively cooperating with said upper member means upon pressing downwardly said lower member means in order to hold said upper member means in said downward heel clamping position, and

the upper of said detent members pivoted about at least a second pivot point disposed at a level lower than said first pivot point and lower than the engaging faces of said detent members, said at least second pivot point connected to said housing, and

positioning said jaw lever means formed intergally with said upper detent member and mounted on said at least second pivot.

7. A heel-safety holder for ski bindings, comprising jaw means for vertically clamping a heel portion of a ski boot therebetween,

adjustable means for vertically positioning said jaw means with respect to said ski,

means for releasing the engagement of said heel portion with said jaw means,

adjusting means for selectively presetting an infinite plurality of overload values applied by said jaw means against said heel portion,

said jaw means including upper member means pivotally connected to said housing about a first pivot point,

lower member means pivotally disposed relative to said upper member means about a second pivot point,

one of said member means including a detent portion,

detent means comprising two superposed detent member operatively connected to said housing and in said lower member means operatively cooperating with said upper member means upon pressing downwardly said lower member means in order to hold said upper member means in said downward heel clamping position, and

the upper of said detent members pivoted about a third pivot point disposed at a level lower than the level of the engaging faces of said detent members, said third pivot point connected to said housing, and level means formed integrally with said upper detent member and mounted on said third pivot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,349 3/1964 Schweizer 280-1135 3,172,677 3/1965 Marker 280-11.35 3,244,431 4/ 1966 Hatlap-a 280-1135 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,358,624 3/1964 France.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

engagement when said upper member means is in a 25 H- BRANNE Exam n r.

downward heel clamping position,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,351,354 November 7, 1967 Thomas C. Smolka et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

4, line 53, "Preferabily" should read Preferably 5, line""73, cancel "said lower member means in order to hold said" and -g ;-said jaw means including upper member means and Column 8,

"level" should read lever Column Signed and sealed this 31st day of March 1970.

Attest: WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER,

Edward Mlfietcher, J r.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. A HEEL-SAFETY HOLDER FOR SKI BINDING, COMPRISING JAW MEANS FOR VERTICALLY CLAMPING A HEEL PORTION OF A SKI BOOT THEREBETWEEN, ADJUSTABLE MEANS FOR VERTICALLY POSTIONING SAID JAW MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SKI, MEANS FOR RELEASING THE ENGAGEMENT OF SAID HEEL PORTION WITH SAID JAW MEANS, ADJUSTING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY PRESETTING AN INFINITE PLURALITY OF OVERLOAD VALUES APPLIED BY SAID JAW MEANS AGAINST SAID HEEL PORTION, A HOUSING, SAID JAW MEANS INCLUDING UPPER MEMBER MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING ABOUT A FIRST PIVOT POINT AN LOWER MEMBER MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING ABOUT A SECOND PIVOT POINT, DETENT MEANS COMPRISING TWO SUPERPOSED DETENT MEMBERS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING AND IN ENGAGEMENT WHEN SAID UPPER MEMBER MEANS IS IN A DOWNWARD HEEL CLAMPING POSITION, SAID LOWER MEMBER MEANS OPERATIVELY COOPERATING WITH SAID UPPER MEMBER MEANS UPON PRESSING DOWNWARDLY SAID LOWER MEMBER MEANS IN ORDER TO HOLD SAID UPPER MEMBER MEANS IN SAID DOWNWARD HEEL CLAMPING POSITION, AND THE UPPER OF SAID DETENT MEMBERS PIVOTED ABOUT A THIRD PIVOT POINT DISPOSED AT A LEVEL LOWER THAN SAID FIRST PIVOT POINT AND LOWER THAN THE LEVEL OF THE ENGAGING FACES OF SAID DETENT MEMBERS, SAID THIRD POINT CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING, AND LEVER MEANS FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID UPPER DETENT MEMBERS AND MOUNTED ON SAID THIRD PIVOT. 